Bridle-bit.



No.876,461. PATENTED JAN. 14,.1908.

G. F. JUNGERMANN. BRIDLE BIT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.28,1 907.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wAsmNs'roN. 04 c4 GFJa/geri/al/m I GEORGE F. JUNGERMANN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

BRIDLE-BIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application filed January 28. 1907. Serial No. 354.368.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. JUNGER- MANN, citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bridle bits and my objectis to produce a device of this character which can be adapted for use upon horses of different dispositions, that is to say-can be arranged for use upon horses of ordinary disposition so as to inflict no punishment or on horses of dangerous or vicious disposition to inflict more or less punishment when the driver or rider pulls upon the reins.

With this general object in view, the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combination of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a side view of a bridle bit embodying my invention, and also shows the horses head and neck in dotted lines and a bridle and driving reins in side elevation. Fig. 2, is an enlarged view of the bridle bit as viewed when looking directly into the horses mouth. Fig. 3, is an enlarged view of the cross bar of the bit when viewed at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 1, is a cross sec-- tion taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2, and also shows in dotted lines a part of the horses head.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the cross bar of the bit having the usual crank portion 2 and terminating at its ends in eyes 3, and provided between the eyes and crank portion with apertures 4 having their axes paralleling those of the eyes.

5 indicates a pair of rings which are bent above their center to flare upwardly and outwardly as at 6, and 7 are curved pieces at the inner sides of and forming chords for the flared portion 6 and in conjunction with the latter provide loops for a purpose hereinafter explained. A cross piece extending from front to rear comprises the central cylindrical portion 8 j ournaled in eyes 3 of the cross bar, and flaring arms 9 connecting said journaled portions with thefront and rear portions of the ring so as to form rear loops 10, front loops 11, and a lower loop 12, the latter being disposed diametrically opposite the upper loops formed by the flared portion 6 and chord pieces 7.

A flexible strap is run through the apertures4 so as to form an upper loop 13 and a lower loop '13 the ends of the straps being buckled together as at 13 when the bit is in operative position.

The bit is arranged with the cross piece in i the horses mouth as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 4 with the rings at opposite sides, and the cheek straps 14 of the bridle are secured in the back loops 10 of the rings, as shown, or in any other suitable or preferred manner. When the bridle is used upon horses of good disposition the strap hereinbefore described willpreferably be removed and the reins 15 will be engaged with the lower loops 12 as shown in Fig. 1, so that a pull on the reins will have no tendency to rotate the cross bar or pivotally operate the ringsin other words, the bit will act in every way as any ordinary bit.

If desired, the reins can be engaged with the front loop 11 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. In such event a pull upon the reins will tend to rotate the cross bar in a direction indicated by the arrow Fig. 4 and then impose a painful pressure on the roof of the horses mouth, the cheek straps swinging sufliciently to accommodate such rotative movement of the cross piece and the rings. If it be desired to impose a pinching pressure on the lower jaw by clamping the lower portions of the rings against such jaw, the reins may be attached to the loop formed by the flaring portions and the rings and chord pieces 7 as also indicated by dotted lines Fig. 1. In this position a pull upon the reins will tend to pull the flared portions apart and thus cause the rings to operate pivotally in eyes 3 as will be readily understood.

Where a horse is unreliable and apt to evince a vicious tendency at any time, it is desirable to equip the bit with the flexible strap. The strap can be arranged so that both loops shall extend around the under jaw as indicated in dotted lines, and form a curb for the bit, but ordinarily the loop 13 will preferably extend upward and slightly forward and be slipped under the upper lip and over the upper gums as indicated in Fig. 4.

With the reins in the position shown in full lines Fig. 1 and the bit equipped with a strap, both loops oi the latter will preferably extend around the under jaw particularly when a check rein is employed. This arrangement tends to keep the horse from opening his mouth and lolling his tongue. With the reins in the same position, but with the loops in the position shown in Fig. 4 the pull on the reins will tend to draw the bit back in the mouth and thus cause the upper loop 13 to impose more or less pressure, and consequently pain, on the upper gums, the degree of pressure regulating the amount of punishment. With the loops in the same position but with the reins engaging loops 11 a pull on the reins will cause the cross bar to turn and the crank of the bit to press again-st the roof of the mouth. The partial revolution of the cross bar will tend to wind the flexible loops around it and consequently shorten andtend to hold the mouth closed so that the horse cannot evade punishment by opening his mouth.

WVith the reins in the third position, that is engaging the flared portions of the rings and the flexible loops positioned as shown in Fig. 4, a pull on the reins rocks the rings and clamps them against the lower jaw, the upper flexible loop at the same time preventing the horse from opening his mouth and pushing the cross bar forward with his tongue to get it between his teeth. This arrangement therefore insures the infliction oi avery severe punishment in the attempt to con rol an unruly animal.

If desired two sets of reins may be employed, one as shown in full lines and one in either of-the dotted positions. In case the horse becomes unruly the supplemental reins could be handled in the manner explained. When the supplemental set is engaged with the flared portion of the bit the driver or rider can pull alternately upon them and thus cause the cross bar to reciprocate and impose a sawing and clamping pressure on the upper gums through the medium of the upper flexible loop. This, perhaps, would be the most severe punishment that could be inflicted. The provision of a loop to pass over the upper gum has an added advantage in that it tends to hold the bit stationary and induce the horse, to avoid punishment, to turn with what is known as a body turn, instead of bending his neck side-wise in response to a pull on the reins towards the direction it is desired he shall turn. The bit is therefore desirable for useupon green horses to teach them to turn in a graceful manner.

By providing a bit of the character described, it is obvious that a practically perfeet control can be obtained over any kind of a horse and that the bit for ordinary purposes is as humane as any other bit. I wish it to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

For driving a side reiner the flexible loops are arranged as shown Fig. 4, and the animal therefore has no chance to hold the bit stationary without receiving more or less punishment and consequently will carry his head in a straight line with his body, and the pressure on both reins will then be equal.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.. A bridlebit comprising a cross bar having diam etrical apertures nearits ends, a flexible strap passing through said apertures and forming free loops above and below the cross bar, and meansattached to the ends of the bar whereby the same may be rotated.

2. In a bridle bit, the combination. of a cross bar, a strap inserted diametrically through said bar near the ends of the same and forming free flexible loops on the opposite sides thereof to engage portions of the animals head, rings provided with diametrical pins passing through the ends of the bar whereby to rotate the same, and reins con neeted to the rings.

A bridle bit comprising a cross bar having a central cranked portion and provided with eyes at its ends, and rings having cross pieces provided with central portions j0urnaled in said eyes and diverging arms atthe ends of the said central portion, the rings being formed with a deflected portion and a chord therefor forming a loop therewith.

4. A bridle bit, comprising a cross bar having a central crank portion, apertures at opposite sides of the crank portion and eyes outward of said apertures and having their axes approximately paralleling the axes of the apertures, rings having cylindrical central portionsjournaled in said eyes, and arms flaring from said central portion, in combination with the cheek straps of a bridle engaging said rings between the rearmost pair of said arms, and reins connected to the rings.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE F. JU N GERMANN Witnesses H. C. Ronenns, G. Y. 'lnoRPE. 

